Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of infrainguinal vein graft stenosis is not a negative predictor for long-term patency [Perkutane transluminale angioplastie von stenosen infrainguinaler venenbyp?sse ist kein negativer pr?diktor für die langzeitoff enheitsrate]

摘要

Background: To investigate whether maintenance percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) for signifi cant stenosis aft er infrainguinal bypass graft ing aff ects long-term patency of the bypass graft s in comparison to those not needing intervention. Patients and methods: The cohort includes 141 consecutive patients with 157 infrainguinal vein graft s performed from January 1996 to December 2005. Graft s occluded within three months aft er operation were excluded. Revascularisations needing maintenance PTA for signifi cant stenoses of graft or adjacent in- or outfl ow vessels (intervention group, n = 39) were compared to those not needing intervention during follow up (non-intervention group, n = 118). Primary end point was bypass occlusion. Secondary end points were major amputation or death. Long-term patency in the intervention and non-intervention groups was estimated using Kaplan-Meier curves and compared using the Tarone-Ware test. Results: In the intervention group, primary assisted patency rate aft er 36 and 60 months was 94.1 % and 89.4 %, respectively, whereas in the non-intervention group patency rate was 92.5 % and 91.0 %, respectively (p = 0.644). Comparing the intervention group to the non-intervention group, 1 versus 2 major amputations (p = 0.642) and 14 versus 40 deaths (p = 0.233) occurred. Conclusions: Occurrence of graft stenosis did not decrease long-term patency rate when treated by PTA in comparison to graft s not needing maintenance PTA.